The Angel and the Devil
by A Lunatic's Lament
Summary: Dante isn't fond of working with others. In fact, he would much rather work solo if he can help it. But distractions come knocking on his door in the form of two women who like getting under his skin. Rated M for violence, gore, and later chapters. Dante/OC
1. And the Devil Met Them

**Hellllo everyone! Luna here with a brand new fic that I hope you all will enjoy! Well, if you stopped here to read it in the DmC search then I would assume you will enjoy it (or not). This story will follow the anime's story line and just a few minor things will be changed (like Dante's little old convertible) and a few characters added (like the OCs). I've been writing this fic with my best friend (Mistrelia of the Ice) for a while. But I hope you won't click away, so happy reading!**

**DISCLAIMER: ALL does not own Devil May Cry or its characters. Camille belongs to ALL and Bell belongs to Misterlia of the Ice.**

* * *

**Chapter One**

**And the Devil Met Them**

_She's late. It's pouring rain, and she's late._

A young woman with pale blonde hair stood, irritated, in a rain-drenched alleyway tapping an impatient foot on the ground. Passersby wanting to get out of the downpour paid little attention to her or the large sweeping sword strapped to her back. She had been waiting there for quite some time and her patience was hanging on by a thin thread. Thunder clapped in the sky, followed closely by a bright flash of lightning that illuminated the entire alleyway, silhouetting a figure perched on top of a Dumpster.

"And where the hell have you been? You said you would be here half an hour ago," the pale-haired woman acknowledged the newcomer as they hopped daintily to the ground. It was a girl with thick brown hair and large brown eyes.

She smiled up at the pale woman, "Ahw, Camille. You look like a lost, wet kitten. How long have you been here?"

Camille felt her eyebrow twitch. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, "Bell, can you ever take anything seriously?"

"Psh..." Bell waved a slender hand dismissively, "I can. I just choose not to if I can help it."

"Whatever," Camille sighed, brushing a wet lock of hair out of her eyes, "Look, I was told of a guy that may be able to help us with this case. He runs a service just up the street here."

"Does he? A service specially for these types of things?" Bell nodded enthusiastically, "Impressive."

Thunder rolled overhead. The rain began to come down in pellets. To Camille, it was just an annoyance, "C'mon. Let's get out of this rain."

"So..." Bell prodded as the two exited the alley, "What's this guy's name anyway?"

* * *

"_Dante!_"

A young girl with curly blonde hair swatted the ground angrily with her broom glaring daggers at a pair of black boots perched on top of a wide desk. The boots belonged to the man in question, though he seemed to be paying little attention to the girl. His arms were folded behind his head like a pillow and a women's fashion magazine laid over his face.

"You can ignore me all you want, I _know _you're awake!" she said loudly, gripping the broom handle tightly, "Dante, I'm talking to you!"

"Yeah, yeah. I hear you," came a lax reply. Dante removed the magazine from his face to cast a glance at the girl. He eyed the broom in her hands, "Patty... What did I tell you about your little obsession with the looks of the place?"

"I was just sweeping the floors," Patty said, "Besides, it's not like you do very much in the first place. All you do is sit around and eat pizza. And it's storming so I have to do something to keep me entertained."

"Yeah well... That's what happens when you don't have jobs to do," Dante shut his eyes again, "Might as well get use to it. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to take a nap. Like you said, it's raining. The likelyhood of a customer walking through those doors is slim to none."

Patty puffed out her cheeks, ready to fire out a retort when the front doors opened. She turned quickly to face the figure standing in the rain, "Oh! Welcome! Come on in. Don't worry about the water. I'll clean it up..." the girl felt her eyes widen in awe. The woman before her was striking - long pale hair that complimented her porceline skin, a slender, but curvy frame, and, most of all, large eyes framed with thick black lashes that were two different colors. One was the color of pure gold, the other a crimson flame, "... Later."

"I'm sorry to arrive during such a horrendous storm," the woman said with a voice as soft and demanding as the wind, "Is this Devil May Cry?"

"That's what the sign says outside, doesn't it?" Dante asked from his spot at the desk. He hadn't even opened his eyes, but he knew he was in no mood to take a job right now. Especially when it was his time to relax.

Patty shot a glare in his direction,"Pardon me," she excused herself politely before approaching the dozing man and, with as much effort as she could muster, slammed the head of the broom into his stomach, knocking most of the wind out of his lungs, "Dante!"

"Why you...!" he coughed, glaring at her.

"You have a customer!" Patty hissed in a low voice, "A _paying _customer. And she's beautiful! So unless you have other ways of paying off your debt to Lady _and _that pizza place you love so much I suggest you cut the crap and help her!"

Grumbling, Dante sat up slowly to address the woman and nearly choked on his own breath. She absolutely was beautiful. The two camisoles she wore clung to her skin from the rain, revealing a flat, toned stomach and her ripped jeans rested just below her hipbones. His cheeks prickled. _Strickly business, _he told himself, clearing his throat.

"Fine," he said, concentrating hard on keeping his voice from cracking, "What can I do ya for?"

"Word on the street is you specialize in demons," the woman said, holding a steady gaze. Then she moved. It was graceful, almost as if she were gliding as she approached the desk. It was then Dante noticed the rather large sword held to her back by a leather strap. The hilt was decorated with silver iron vines that curled around the grip and opened to create the guard that held the wide blade in place. The blade itself was in contrast to the silver hilt, being made of a glossy black material. It was an impressive piece of weaponry. _So she's in this business too, huh?_

"The word on the street would be correct," he finally answered, resuming his relaxed position in his chair, crossing his ankles on top of the desk again, "But only if it pays. A guy has to make a living in this line of work to, ya feel me?"

"Of course," the woman nodded, "Well... Dante was it? My name is Camille. I have a bit of a request, seeing as you're the only individual in the immediate area that can assist me I figured I would come to you."

"Don't flatter me, sweetheart. It gets you nowhere," Dante said, closing his eyes again.

Camille raised an eyebrow at him before continuing, "Right, well... I was asked to do a job in the next town over, but it requires a bit more help than I had at my disposal. The pay will be more than moderate and I will be forever in your debt."

Dante opened one eye and gave Camille a once over. She was short, well... shorter than him, but she had a lithe build, looking like she would dance around enemies with ease in battle. But she herself was a distraction and Dante didn't have the time for distractions. At least not at that moment. All he wanted to do was sleep. In response, he snorted, "Sorry, princess, but you're gonna have to find anoth-"

"He'll take it!" Patty jumped in, clapping her hands over Dante's mouth. His angry protests were muffled by her palms, to which she glared, "Do you like being in debt to Lady, Dante?"

He growled and tore her hands away from his mouth, "Fine. I'll take the damn job. But we leave tomorrow. There's no way I'm going anywhere in this shit," he gestured to the window where the rain pelted the glass.

"Fine with us," Camille shrugged, "I'm sure my partner and I could find a cheap hotel somewhere around here."

At this, Dante sat up, "Partner?"

"Hello!" the doors to Devil May Cry was forced open and another woman waved vigorously in the doorway, sending droplets of water flying onto the floor, "So you're the guy in charge of this dump, huh?"

"I told you this place needed a woman's touch," Patty muttered.

Dante scoffed, "And who are you?"

"Name's Bell. It's, uh... a pleasure to meet you," Bell nodded to Dante.

"Right... I was just telling your friend here I'm not going out in a storm like this," he jerked a thumb towards one of the windows, "So we'll have to do this tomorrow."

"You said you were looking for a place to stay?" Patty asked. _Don't you do it, kid, _Dante thought, "You can stay here! I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem, right Dante?"

"Oh, that won't be necessary," Bell said, "I booked us a room at the hotel around the corner."

"Very well," Camille nodded, "We'll be seeing you tomorrow morning, Dante."

With a nod her head, Camille turned and headed back into the storm. Bell saluted before following her friend at her heels. When the doors shut, Dante rounded on Patty with a growl, "Maybe they could stay here? I'm not harboring some girls I just met in my shop, Patty."

"That's never stopped you before," Patty shrugged.

"Why do I even keep you around? You're more trouble than you're worth," he sighed.

"Because you're contractually obligated to watch over me," Patty stated matter-of-factly, "You're kind of like a guardian or something."

"Yeah, if I knew at the time what I was signing up for you're little butt would be out on the curb," Dante pushed himself out of his chair, "I'm taking a shower."

"Don't drown," Patty rolled her eyes and flinched when he slammed the bathroom door behind him.

* * *

The next morning, Dante woke feeling tired and sluggish. The storm had blown over leaving the sky a steel gray and the air thick with fog. It wasn't until there was a knock on the door did he remember that he had taken a job today.

"Damn it all," he grumbled, throwing on his red vest as he descended the stairs to the main shop. The knocking persisted, becoming louder with each tap, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I hear you."

Dante swung the door open and poked his head out, coming face to face with Camille who had her hand ready to knock again. She smiled at him. Something shifted in his stomach.

"Good morning, Dante," she greeted, "Are you ready to go?"

The man looked around, noting that someone seemed to be missing, "Where's your partner?"

"You know, I may be short but that's just plain rude," the smaller woman stepped out from behind Camille, a scowl on her pretty face, "Not all of us can be six foot six."

"That seems more like a personal problem," Dante grabbed the long red trench coat hanging up behind the door as well as the black leather guitar case leaning against the wall. He fished in the pockets, puling out a set of car keys, "Alright, if we're going to do this, you need to fill me in on the way there."

"Of course," Camille nodded.

The dusty red convertible was parked in the street outside of the shop. It was a little older than he would have liked, but he had put a lot of work and pride into it and it got him places a lot faster than walking would have. Bell gave a low whistle.

"Well, that's a slight disappointment," she said.

"The hell is that suppose to mean?" Dante growled. Not only did he not want to take this job, he also did not want to take it with two women he didn't know - especially if they bashed his ride.

"I just figured you run a business that pays a lot and yet you have to drive this piece of crap," Bell shrugged, "Oh well. I guess not everyone can have nice things."

"Just ignore her," Camille smirked.

The three climbed into the car, Camille sitting shotgun and Bell resting happily in the back seat with her legs perched over the side. No one spoke until they were on the outskirts of the city.

"So, about this job," Dante started, "What exactly are we dealing with?"

"There's a small town an hour from here that's been experiencing child disappearances," Camille said. Her expression shifted between several variations of discomfort, "Five children have gone missing in the passed month and the mayor believes it's the work of a demon."

Dante snorted, "He just _assumes _it's a demon?"

"The whole town has been hearing strange noises coming from an old estate overlooking the town," Bell cut in, her hand riding the wind casually, "They said the noises didn't sound like any animal, but something more... unearthly. And the mayor had called us personally because the whole town is too scared to investigate themselves. But it was too much for just us to handle. Which is why we came to you."

Dante grew silent. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. Could it be a demon? Why was it targeting children? _That's sick... _he thought, _I guess I should stick with it... I just hope those missing children can be saved._

Nothing else was said the rest of the trip.

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**Thank you for reading chapter one! :D feel free to leave a review, but be gentle. I am a fragile flower.**


	2. You're For My Mommy

**Hey there! Are you enjoying this fic so far? I hope so! Otherwise it would all be for naught D: Anywho! Please enjoy because this is where things get real. Happy reading!**

**DISCLAIMER: ALL does not own Devil May Cry. The OCs belong to her and her best friend (Mistrelia of the Ice)**

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**Chapter Two**

**You're For My Mommy**

The small town of Raven's Brooke was less than what Dante expected. As they drove through the deserted residential area they took in the vacant lawns littered with forgotten toys and drawn curtains in the windows. The whole scene seemed to lack color, the absence of smiling faces and laughter painted the neighborhood in varying shades of gray. A tall hill overlooked the sleepy town. Perched on top was a large three story estate. From there he could see that it had been a while since anyone had lived there.

"It's so sad," Camille muttered, more to herself than anything.

"This feels wrong," Bell added, "Without children, this place seems deserted."

Dante nodded. He had to admit that kids weren't really his thing, but it was clear to him now that it would be wrong to leave this case be. These people needed help and he wasn't about to turn his back on them now.

Suddenly, Bell's arm shot out in front of him, impairing his vision for a few seconds, "Here! Turn here! This is where we need to be."

Dante shoved her arm out of the way to see what she was pointing at. An old ranch style house sat on the corner leading into town. A white porch wrapped around the four walls, decorated with potted flowers and porch swings. A tricycle was propped against the wide stairs. He felt lonely just staring at it.

Dante pulled the little convertible into the driveway and killed the engine, "So, who's house is this?"

"This is the address the mayor gave us," Camille said, unhooking her belt and climbing out of her seat, "So I assume this is his home," she grabbed her sword from the back, "You two go on and talk to the mayor. I'm going to go up to the estate and check things out."

Bell nodded, "Just be careful."

They watched as Camille took off towards the hill. Dante had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, "Don't you think one of us should go with her? I mean, we don't exactly know what it is we're dealing with."

"She'll be fine," Bell said, still staring after her friend, "If I know Camille, she can handle herself pretty well."

"Whatever you say," he muttered.

The old stairs creaked under their feet as they approached the front doors. If he hadn't known better, Dante would assume no one was home. But he had seen the curtains shift just slightly as if someone had been peeking out of the window. There was a shuffling on the other side of the door. Both of them waited. When nothing happened, Bell raised her fist and rapped on the door with her knuckles.

"Hello?" she called, "Hello, Mayor Thrasher?"

The door cracked open and a man's face poked out, "Y-yes? Who are you?" he was fairly young, no older than forty-five, with disheveled black hair and green eyes rimmed with dark circles from lack of sleep, "What do you want?"

"Hi, sir. My name is Bell," she stepped forward with a gentle smile, her voice soft, "You called us about your... Uh, problem... Last week. Remember?"

Relief washed over the man's face, his eyes fully showing the exhaustion that had been hovering over him, "Yes, yes! Please come in."

Mayor Thrasher's home was dimly lit and almost as depressing as the lawns outside. Everything seemed void of any color and, from the looks of the cluttered toy chest hidden under the grand staircase, was missing the presence of a young child. The flowers in their vases seemed to wilt, the shadows seemed darker. The whole atmosphere seemed to weep. _This is the saddest thing I have ever seen..._ Dante's brow furrowed.

"I-I want to start by saying thank you for answering my call," Thrasher stammered, leading them into a gloomy kitchen. He gestured to the incredible island rising from the middle of the room, "Please, make yourself at home. Would you like some tea? Or Brandy perhaps?"

"Tea is fine," Bell answered.

"I'll take a beer if you have it," Dante sat heavily onto an island stool.

"Certainly," Thrasher nodded and began making himself busy with filling a silver tea pot with water. The air grew thick with silence.

"The neighborhood seems pretty quiet," Dante finally said. Thrasher seemed to stiffen.

"Y-yes... We've, uh... We've been through hell this past month," he said with his back to the two of them, "It's hard to be active when your children are disappearing left and right."

"Tell us what's been going on around here," Bell pressed, resting her chin on her hands in interest. The tea kettle began to whistle loudly. Thrasher poured the boiling water into a mug and placed it in front of her as well as a glass bowl of sugar cubes and a bottle of honey.

"At first, we thought there was a child abductor among us," he began slowly, cracking open a bottle of beer for Dante and sliding it into his hands, "But then we began noticing a pattern. All of the children disappeared at night from their own beds. It was almost as if they were swept away by the wind. We had no leads, nowhere to even begin looking. And then..." Thrasher leaned against the island for support.

"What happened?" Bell asked, leaning in to touch his arm gently.

"That's when we started hearing the noises coming from the old estate up on the hill - these horrible growling and roaring noises... Then, my daughter..." he said, his voice sounding strained, "My daughter, she was the last victim. The only difference was that I was awake when she disappeared. I walked in to check on her and saw her climbing out of her window. I tried to stop her, but she was running down the street before I could catch her. But I saw..." his voice cracked. Tears began streaming down his face.

"What did you see?" Dante set his empty bottle firmly onto the counter top. he didn't like the sound of any of this.

Thrasher took a deep breath, "I saw a little girl with my daughter. She- she was holding her hand as if she were leading her to the old house. And she looked back at me and... Her eyes... They were red. Like a demon. I believe that girl has been luring the town's children into that house. Please," he begged, "You have to save them."

Bell and Dante cast glances at each other. They were both thinking the same thing.

Camille was in danger by herself.

* * *

Camille was thinking the forest was never going to end. She had been walking for some time and there was no sign of any light at the end of the path. _Is it a trick?_ she thought, pushing aside a low-hanging branch. _Because if it is, it's not very funny._

From somewhere up ahead she heard faint crying. _Is that a child? What are they doing out here?_ The woman pushed forward, her eyes jumping to nearly everything that was moving. She needed to find this child and get them out of the forest. The crying grew louder, sounding as if it were coming from a ways off the path. She shoved aside heavy brush and bramble, searching desperately for whoever this kid was. Finally, she came across a huddled figure kneeling in a tangle of weeds. It was a young girl.

"Hey," Camille hurried over and crouched next to her. Her blonde hair tumbled over her hunched shoulders, her body wracking with sobs, "Hey, sweetie are you alright? What are you doing out here?"

"I-I lost m-my -hic- m-m-mommy," the girl sobbed, "I d-don't know where she we-went."

"Do you know where you were going?" she asked, feeling her stomach do an uneasy flip. She ignored it.

The girl pointed a shaky finger towards the peak of the hill. Her pretty green eyes were puffy and red from crying, "W-we were hiking up t-this hill and I got l-lost."

Camille rubbed a gentle hand over the girl's back, "Well, I'll take you to her, okay? You don't have to be scared anymore. Come on."

She took the girl's hand and led her back to the designated path. Something in the back of her mind screamed at her to run. She pushed it back. _This is the right thing to do. Besides, she's lost._ The path that seemed to go on forever finally came to an end. It curved into a circle driveway in front of a large estate. In the center of the drive was an old, dried-up fountain with a crumbling statue of a woman sitting alone in the pool. Weeds tangled themselves at the foundation of the building, snaking up the porch railings in vines and hugging the outside walls, refusing to let go. The windows were dusty, some of them even broken. There was no light coming from the inside. It didn't look like anyone had been living here for some time. The girl squeezed Camille's hand.

"Uh... Sweetie, I don't think your mommy has come through here," she said. The feeling in her stomach was much stronger now.

"I know," came her reply.

"You know? Then why- ah!" nails dug into the skin of her hand. She looked down to see blood blooming in rivets down her fingers. The little girl's face had suddenly gone from sweet and innocent with sad eyes to twisted, grotesque, and evil with red glowing orbs where her eyes should have been. Camille tried to jerk her hand free but that only made her grip harder.

The girl twisted the woman's wrist at an odd angle, snapping the bone clean in half. Tears flooded her eyes as the pain shot through her entire body, bringing her to her knees. The girl began to laugh, her voice containing a deep, chilling undertone.

"I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee. Won't my mommy be so proud of me?" She sang, taking hold of three of Camille's fingers and breaking them with ease. She cried out in pain, "I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee. Won't my mommy be proud of me? Ouch, she stung me!" she grabbed her thumb and bent it back with a sickening snap. Camille tried desperately to free her hand, but any sort of movement rendered her useless.

"S-stop...!" she gasped.

The girl giggled gleefully, "I'm squishing my baby bumblebee. Won't my mommy be so proud of me?" the girl took Camille's forearm and cracked it over her knee. Camille screamed in agony, her body lurching forward and tears spilling out of her eyes, "I'm squishing my baby bumblebee. Ick! What a mess!" She planted a foot in the woman's back and pulled her arm clean out of the socket.

Claws raked through her skin, tearing it open and spilling blood down Camille's mangled arm. The girl smiled wickedly revealing a set of razor teeth, "I'm licking my baby bumblebee. Won't my mommy be so proud of me?" She licked her clawed fingers of Camille's blood, the smile growing wider, "I'm licking my baby bumblebee. Ick! I feel sick!"

The girl let go of her arm. It fell uselessly to her side, bleeding streams of crimson into the dirt. The edges of Camille's vision began to blur. Her head swam and her body was growing numb. The pain wasn't even registering anymore. The little girl leaned over her limp body and giggled.

"You're for my mommy."

Everything went black

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**Eh? Ehh? :D Too much? Oh ;-;**


	3. Take a Hike

**Yo! I know, I know. I'm late. But I have an excuse. My keyboard stopped working so I have to write with a mouse and an on-screen keyboard, which if you don't know takes _forever. _So here is chapter 3! I'm sorry for the length ;-; don't hate me.**

**DISCLAIMER: ALL does not own Devil May Cry. The OCs belong to her and her best friend (Mistrelia of the Ice)**

* * *

**Chapter Three: **

**Take a Hike**

"Can't this thing go any faster?! I could have walked and been there by now."

"I'm going as fast as I can. If you don't like it, then you can get out and run," Dante gripped the steering wheel, gritting his teeth. The little convertible roared through the forest drive leading up to the estate. Bell was balanced on the balls of her feet in the passenger's side like she was ready to jump out once they reached the end of their ride.

The forest opened up to the large circle drive of the large house. Bell jumped over the side of the car before Dante even had time to stop it. He found her crouched over a spot near the crumbling fountain in the center.

"She was here," she said, running her fingers over the dirt. There were dark patches splashed across the ground. Dante caught a whiff of something familiar. _Blood..._

"She's hurt. We need to find her," unzipping his guitar case, he brandished Rebellion over his shoulder to secure it on his back.

The door of the estate was jarred open. Bloody hand prints were smeared across the wood. _Small hands... So it is a demon disguised as a kid._ Dante's lip curled. This was going to be one hell of a party. Inside, the front foyer was dark and caked with grime. Furniture was toppled over, debris was scattered along the dirty floor, cobwebs were strung across the ceiling. The air was musty and thick with dust. Their throats were lined with it just after a few moments.

"Where do you think she is?" Bell whispered.

From somewhere within the estate there was a low rumble like a throaty growl. Dante drew his sword from his back, pressing a finger to his lips.

"Wherever that noise is coming from, I'm willing to bet that's where your friend is," he mouthed.

The dust on the floor cushioned their footsteps, raising puffs around their ankles as they went. They searched each room carefully, listening for any signs of the noise they had heard when they had entered. The first floor held two musty living rooms and a grand dining room as well as a den and a large kitchen. Nothing seemed to be inhabiting any of them. In fact, if the two hadn't known any better, it would have appeared the home was indeed empty. But soon after they decided to check the upper floors, the growl echoed around them. It seemed to be coming from the kitchen.

"But we just checked there..." Bell whispered, "Could we have missed something?"

"Only one way to find out," Dante smirked. He moved swiftly away from the wide stairs being sure to keep his steps light.

The kitchen was cold and nearly every metal surface was rusted, every inch of counter space layered with dust, the molded walls riddled with mouse holes. The air smelled of damp and mold. Bell wrinkled her nose a bit.

"It definitely came from in here," Dante muttered to himself. He examined the walls closely, tapping in different places like he was hoping to find a secret door hidden behind the faded wallpaper.

Bell left him to his investigation, wandering over to a large cupboard tucked away in the far corner. It was covered with cobwebs and sparsely littered with spice jars and wooden utensils. She swiped a finger across one of the shelves, coating the tip in grime. She brushed it off on her shirt. That's when she noticed the disturbance in the settled dust on the floor. Curious, she peered around the cupboard.

"Dante," she beckoned. There was something behind the piece of furniture, "Help me move this thing out of the way."

At first the cupboard wouldn't budge. Upon inspection, the stubby legs seemed nestled in nooks holding it in place. Dante lifted the cupboard out of its lock and shoved it aside. A door was there, the most used object they had come across. It was heavy with a solid brass doorknob that turned with a bit of trouble. The familiar growl slithered out from underneath it. Dante pushed open the door. A cool breeze brushed passed them as a steep stone staircase was revealed, dipping into the seemingly endless darkness below. A shiver ran down Bell's spine.

"Not scared are you?"

"What, are you gonna hold me if I am?" she rolled her eyes, removing a sleek crossbow from a belt on her lower back, "Sorry, sweetheart. You're far from my type."

The stairs seemed to tilt forward into the darkness as they descended. Bell felt as if she would fall into the endless well of black if she didn't step carefully. The air gradually grew colder and stale the further they went and the smell of blood began to waft towards them. Goosebumps rose on her arms, and it wasn't from the cold.

"Wait a second," Dante caught her by the shoulder, his voice and touch so sudden Bell nearly jumped out of her skin, "Do you hear that?"

"Hmm?" she strained her ears in the roaring silence. Some ways ahead of them there was a small gasping noise followed by shaky whimpers, much like that of a crying child. Bell felt her heart leap. If there was a child, maybe the other missing children were there as well... Maybe Camille was there too...

There was a small girl crouched in the shadows. Her back was to them, her shoulders hunched forward, heaving as she cried. Her blond hair tumbled down her back in tangled ringlets. Bell approached her slowly, not wanting to startle her.

"Are you okay?" she whispered, reaching out a hand.

"I-I've lo-lost my m- hic- mommy," she cried, not turning to face the woman.

"Why are you looking here for her, sweetie?" Bell asked, puzzled.

"Get away from her, Bell," Dante's voice commanded behind her.

"Why?" Bell turned to him.

_Click-clack!_

Her eyes focused down the shiny silver barrel of his pistol. His blue eyes were piercing, demanding that she move out of the way. Panicked, Bell shot her arms out at her sides in an attempt to shield the girl.

"Are you crazy?!" she shouted.

"_Move!_" his finger squeezed the trigger.

The bullet whizzed passed her face. Her ears rang with the lingering gunshot. Something warm splashed onto her shoulder. Blood spewed from the perfectly round wound in the little girl's forehead... Except now she resembled nothing close to an innocent child. Her face was twisted and eerily elongated with a wide mouth full of sharp teeth and red sunken eyes that were quickly beginning to fade. Bell's heart felt close to bursting.

"I told you," Dante said, lowering his gun.

"Thanks," she panted. Bell's eyes cast over the now-lifeless body. The blood pool was slowly growing, the scent almost overpowering, "You think this is the one luring the children?"

Dante nodded, "It's a foot soldier. A grunt that works for a more powerful being. And whatever that being is, it's up ahead. Camille will be okay," he added upon seeing Bell's worried expression.

"I hope she is," she said. _For my sake..._

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**Please review! They are very much appreciated!**


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